Larry Parman Appointed Oklahoma Secretary of State

Okay, yes it’s true… Governor Fallin contacted me a few weeks ago and asked if I would accept the position of Secretary of State. I’ll be honest – it took me several days to make that decision because I wanted to be sure this was not just the right thing, but the right thing at the right time.

And then one morning, I woke up thinking about Rene Russo’s line to Kevin Costner in the movie, Tin Cup. If you haven’t seen it, Russo plays a psychologist trying to help talented but tainted golfer Costner get his groove back. And as movies always do, Costner is presented with a key moment when all he needs to do is lay it up. Unfortunately, taking the easy road isn’t in Costner’s DNA and he pulls a 3-wood with the intention of getting to the green in two and scoring a birdie instead of settling for par.

His caddy and his friends are saying “Lay it up, Roy…” But Roy (Costner) can’t. And that’s when Molly (Russo) steps in.

Doreen: No, no, no. This is what always happens. He’s going for it.Molly (Russo): Go for it!Doreen: Molly, get a grip. He only needs par to tie. Tell him to lay up.Molly: Go for it, Roy! Just knock it on!

Now, I’ve always had public service on my list and then this falls in my lap. I have plenty of support at the law firm with attorneys in place to handle the workload and I have a wonderful support network at home as well, cheering me (as Russo did) to knock it on in.

So, I decided that Russo’s character Molly was right… it’s not in my DNA to lay it up either, so I decided to go for it and accept her offer. My first official day was March 15, 2013, and it has been both a wonderful learning experience and adventure thus far. For example, even before my first official start date, I had the privilege of attending the National Governor’s Conference in Washington, DC, where we had a valuable exchange of information, ideas, education and issues at the federal level.

Needless to say, I appreciate all of your support as I embark on this wonderful opportunity to contribute what I can to the betterment of our great state!

The full press release follows if you’re interested…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 14, 2013

Office of Governor Mary Fallin

Governor Fallin Announces Appointment of Larry Parman as Secretary of StateOKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin announced today that Larry V. Parman of Oklahoma City will be appointed secretary of state and will begin serving on March 1, 2013. Parman replaces Michelle Day, who has been acting as interim secretary of state since February 1. He will serve as a senior advisor to the governor on policy, economic and legislative issues. The appointment requires the confirmation of the Oklahoma State Senate.

“Larry Parman is a successful and experienced businessman who knows what it takes to create jobs in this challenging economy,” said Fallin. “He will be a great asset to the state and to my office as we work to develop and implement reforms that improve our business environment and spur private sector growth.”

“My thanks also go out to both former Secretary of State Glenn Coffee and Michelle Day,” Fallin continued. “Both performed their duties enthusiastically and well. I know Larry will continue the tradition of excellence in the Office of the Secretary of State.”

Since 1984 Parman has served as the CEO of Parman & Easterday, an Oklahoma City estate planning, elder law and business planning firm that has served over 4,000 clients throughout the Midwest. He has also been a partner in Notch It Up Strategies LLC, a firm that offers marketing and executive development programs to business owners and C-level executives. Parman also served as President of The Hawthorn Group, a public affairs firm in Alexandria, Virginia and President and CEO of Trencor, Incorporated, an Oklahoma-based financial holding firm. He is the author or co-author of multiple books on estate planning, financial planning and business, including Above the Fray: Leading Yourself, Your Business and Others During Turbulent Times, published in 2013 by Glazer-Kennedy Publishing, a New York City based publishing firm.

“Serving on Governor Fallin’s cabinet is an honor to which I am greatly looking forward to,” said Parman. “Oklahoma is blessed to have a governor and a Legislature firmly committed to moving this state forward. I look forward to working with them both on policies and reforms that will help to build a stronger and more prosperous state.”

Parman has served on the board of directors for a variety of civic and business related institutions, including the Oklahoma Council on Economic Development, the Research Institute for Economic Development and Junior Achievement of Oklahoma City, where he also served as chairman of the board for two terms. He is a current member of the Oklahoma and Missouri Bar Associations and the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys.

Parman also served as a captain in the U.S. Army. He received an honorable discharge in 1978.

Parman received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia and his law degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law.

He and his wife, Darlene, have two children, Alexandra Parman Pitts of Portland, Oregon and Scott Parman of Oklahoma City.

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